Self-serving store



c. SAUNDERS.

SELF SERVING STGRE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1?, 1917.

55@ Patentei Dec. 5,19%

' exit span the as it enables aisles to be formed adjacent the Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

-E'ED STATES CLARENCE SAUNDERS, OF MEMPHIS TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO PIGGLY WIGGLY CORPORATION. OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

' SELF-SERVING STORE.

Application filed November 17, 1917. Serial No. 202,466.

To aZZwhom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, CLARENCE SAUNDERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, Shelby County, and State of Tennessee, have invented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Serving Stores, of which the following is a specification. p

In the installation of self-serving stores of the. character forming the subject matter of my Letters Patent No. 1,242,872, and in the development and practice of said invention, I have devised many modifications in the structure of the apparatus shown in said patent; and, although I regard the construction as therein shown and described tobe preferred for ordinary uses, yet in some cases, certain of these other modifications may be found of advantage, and desirable. My present application is for the purpose of disclosingcertain of these modifications and secure to myself the protection of a patent for the invention so disclosed.

In the accompanying drawing, illustratee aplan view of a setof cases as they would stand in a store in accordance with my said invention, Figure 2 a detail side elevation as -seen when looking in the direction of the-arrows when looking from the dotted line 2'-2 in Figure, 1, and Figure 3, a modified form.

In the drawings the portions marked A represent the cabinets orfmercha'ndisehold ing casesyB a turnstile atltheentrance; C railin s or partitions; D the turnstile at-the F abas ket-rack.

The cabinets or cases are to be arranged ina storeroom with a lobby in front, as in the above mentioned Letters Patent, and. consisting of shelving divided appropriatelyintofcompartments for containing goods of various assortments, as may be desired. The

turnstile B is of any approvedtype mounted at the entrance and designed to practically s ace between the adjacent rows of shelving These cabinets are shown as comprising two sideelements and a connecting rear element, all having merchandisc holding shelves 'or compartments,-but the particular formis not material-so long V merchandise display therein.

The railing C is mounted midway between,

the adjacentpara-llel rows of shelving A,

Figure 1 a checking and settlement stand, and

and extends from a point near the front of I the cabinet to a point near the rear. The front is closed byone of the arms of theturnstile while the rear end is left open to form a passageway around the rear end of said partition. This cabinet A, the turnstile B and thepartition C, associated with the checking and settlement stand may in itself constitute a self-serving booth, capable of use in department stores, or other places as found desirable. I have shown this cabinet as duplicated, the two being arranged side by side so that the customer upon entering, passes down the aisle 10, up 'the'aisle'1l, down the aisle l2, up the aisle be dispensed with so that the customer might passirron one side of the-turnstile andout by the;o ther side. It willbe \understood, of course, that as many/ofthecabinets maybe arranged side; a by sideas desired, the settlement counter or 1 L 90 stand E being adjacent to the; ultimate exit turnstile. i

In Figure ,3 I have shown a modified form in which, iii-lieu of the partition or railing C, I have shown a case H with'shelving on both sides and positioned midway between the two turnstiles. This arrangement gives more shelving space and may be utilized where the size of the store, or the place where the cabinet or booth is used, makes it more desirable.

The method of operation is identical with that disclosed in my above mentioned Letters Patent, the customer selecting his purchases from the goods displayed in the cabinetsas he passes down one aisle and up the 105 ;other, paying for the same at the settlement stand at the, exit, and passing out of the store. I

In the modified -;form of cabinet, as shown.

in Figure 3, I have indicated the'shelving by 110 13, and out by the exit turnstile D past the 1 the reference letter G and the central case by the reference letter H.

It will be noted that the rear end of these.

booths, or cabinets, are shown as closed, but it will be understood of course, that doors may be formed in the rear, (indicated by dotted lines) communicating with the stock room, as shown in mypatent above referred to, when conditions will permit. By this arrangement the customers passing through the store, or booth, may be observed at all times from the settlement stand.

Having thus fully described said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for the vending 0f merchandise comprising a parallel rows of shelving and shelving across the rear, a partition extending from the front nearly to the rear, and a'turnstile adapted to close said front and positioned with two of its arms normally in line with the partition in said cabinet, and the other two arms extending across the front of said cabinet, substantially as set forth. 5

2. In a self-serving store, a U-shaped display cabinet comprising side and rear display sections, a partition parallel to the side sections and extendin nearly to the rear section, thereby provi mg a circuitous path for customers, with display devices at one side only, and a turnstile at the entrance to the unit, said turnstile having two arms barring the entrance and outlet respectively and a third forming a continuation of the partition, substantially as set forth.

3. In a self-serving store, ,a plurality of display units arranged in rows facingeach other, partitions of lesser length extending between said rows, thereby forming a circuitous ath for customers with display devices a joining the path at one side only, turnstiles at the exit and entrance to the path, each turnstile having two arms clos ing the space b tween two adjacent display units, and a third arm forming a continuation of an adjacent partition, substantially as set forth.

4. In aself-serving store, a plurality of display units arranged in rows facing each other, partitions of lesser length extending between said rows, thereby forming a cir cuitous path for customers, with display devices adjoining the path at one side only, turnstiles at the exit and entrance to the path, each turnstile having two arms closmg the space between two adjacent display units, a third arm forming a continuation of an adjacent artition. and a checking and settlement stand forming with the fourth arm of the turnstiles a connecting part of said path, substantially as set forth.

5. An apparatus for vending merchandise comprising a series of merchandise containers arranged parallel with each other cabinet having I theturnstile being arranged so that one arm 7 thereof will close the space between the end of said rail andthe turnstile, and its two arms at right angles therewith will close the entrance to the space between the cabinets, and a checking and settlement stand adjacent to said turnstile, substantially as set forth.

6. In a self-serving store having a lobby and a'sales section, a series of rows of merchandise containers and interposed partitions providing a circuitous pathway for customers, a checking and settlement station in the lobby, a row of merchandise containers spaced from one side of the checking and settlement station by a transverse portion of said circuitous pathway, turnstiles at the entrance and exit of the sales section having arms defining the ends of said transverse portion, said arms being aligned with certain of said partitions and with opposite sides of the checking and settlement station, one of said sides facing toward the exit passage from the sales section to the store door and the other having thereon a basket rack adjacent the entrance passage from said door to the sales section,

substantially as set forth.

toward said aisles, and a basket rack adjacent the checking and settlement station extending along the passage leading from the entrance to said store into the entrance end of said circuitous passageway, said rack being located between the checking and settlement station and said passage, substantially as set forth. Y

8. In a self-serving store having a lobby and a sales section, store furniture arranged to form a U-shaped cabinet, apartition parallel. to the sides of the cabinet and spaced from an end thereof to provide aisles forming a circuitous passageway for customers, a checking and settlement station at the'lobby end facing toward said aisles, and a basket rack forming a part of the enclosure of the checking and settlement station and extending along the passage leading from the entrance to the store into said passageway, substantially as set forth. '9. In a self-serving store having a lobby and a sales section, store furniture arranged to form a U-shaped cabinet for the display of goods, a partition comprising a oas'e with of to provide aisles forming a circuitous.

passageway for customers, a checking and settlement station at the lobby end facing toward said aisles, and a basket rack adjacent the checking and settlement station extending along the passage leading from the entrance to said store into the entrance end of said circuitous passageway, said rack being located between the checking and settlement station and said passage, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 15 my hand and seal at Memphis, Tennessee, this 15th day of November, A. D. nineteen hundred and seventeen. CLARENCE SAUNDERS. [1,. a]

.Witnesses:

J OHN W. FARLEY, T. L. Goon. 

